Cygnet
by Scapegoat Azazaello
Summary: (III) Five thousand years have passed since Luc's attempt to kill god. Left alive by a horrible twist of fate, Luc now faces everything he fought against before.
1. Prologue

Cygnet- Prologue ~   
  
Koneko- I own nothing. This plot is my own, steal it and you die. I do not have ownership over "A Wolf at the door" either.  
  
Special thanks to Athena for beta-reading my story.   
  
~   
  
Fate. That's the reason why I'm still breathing, living in this cage of humanity. Many times I have dreamed, remembering the day that I died, but in truth, I hadn't. Pathetic. It's been five thousand years since that day, and yet I still walk in the world of the living, seeing nothing but empty faces passing by, getting old, and leaving this world. Sometimes I wish that I was one of those empty faces, with the ability to leave this chained life and go into the eternal rest. Unfortunately, I cannot die. I was blessed with immortality and I despise myself for it.   
  
I hate myself because I feel compassion for another breathing human. It sickens me; it makes me want to die all over again. I can't believe I actually bonded with him, that vile scum that people called Bishop. He was so naïve to think that immortality was a gift from God, when it is actually a curse that Beelzebub himself gave to all of us. I hope he rots in hell.   
  
I remember when I raised an apprentice of my own, just like my mistress had. She was attached to me from the very beginning to the very end. I remember lying in her lap, watching the ruins fall on us; she looked so fragile and cold, protecting me from the collapse. It was sad when I saw her damaged body amongst the rubble. She died, for my sake, just because she loved me. I hated her for that -- she was so young and mislead.   
  
The demon. I remember him. He was cruel, vicious, and egotistic. The best role model for a practicing villain. He left me in those ruins, just like he had abandoned all of his other comrades. I felt compassionate whenever I saw the look of lust he was giving the strategist; he looked so powerful and dominant. His man, a strategist with gorgeous mauve hair, was the smartest person I had possibly ever met, but, like his lover, he was self- centered and he left me as well. My only true confidante was my apprentice, and supposed lover.   
  
Mostly, I hated my mistress. She kept me in line, and she kept me educated. I remember her ordering me to 'help out' during those pathetic wars. I remember her telling me a stupid story about being true to one's self and to others.   
  
Touch the wooden gate in the wall you never saw before.  
  
Say "please" before you open the latch, go through,  
  
Walk down the path.  
  
A red metal imp hangs from the green-painted front door,  
  
Do not touch it; it will bite your fingers.  
  
Walk through the house.  
  
Take nothing.  
  
Eat nothing.  
  
However,  
  
If any creature tells you that it hungers,  
  
Feed it.  
  
If it tells you that it is dirty,  
  
Clean it.  
  
If it cries to you that it hurts,  
  
If you can, ease its pain.  
  
From the back garden you will be able to see the wild wood.  
  
The deep well you walk past leads to Winter's realm;  
  
There is another land at the bottom of it.  
  
If you turn around here,  
  
You can walk back safely;  
  
You will lose no face. I will think no less of you.  
  
Once through the garden you will be in the wood.  
  
The trees are old. Eyes peer from the undergrowth.  
  
Beneath a twisted oak sits an old woman.  
  
She may ask for something; give it to her.  
  
She will point the way to the castle.  
  
Inside are three princesses.  
  
Do not trust the youngest. Walk on.  
  
In the clearing beyond the castle the twelve months sit about a fire,  
  
Warming their feet, exchanging tales. They may do favors for you,  
  
If you are polite. You may pick strawberries in December's frost.  
  
Trust the wolves, but do not tell them where you are going.  
  
The river can be crossed by the ferry;  
  
The ferry-man will take you.  
  
(The answer to the question is this: If he hands the oar to his passenger,  
  
he will be free to leave the boat. Only tell him this from a safe distance.)  
  
If an eagle gives you a feather, keep it safe. Remember:  
  
That giants sleep too soundly; that witches are often betrayed by their appetites;  
  
Dragons have one soft spot, somewhere, always; Hearts can be well hidden,  
  
And you betray them with your tongue.  
  
Do not be jealous of your sister.  
  
Know that diamonds and roses are as uncomfortable when they tumble from  
  
One's lips as toads and frogs: Colder, too, and sharper, and they cut.  
  
Remember your name. Do not lose hope-What you seek will be found.  
  
Trust ghosts. Trust those that you have helped to help you in their turn.  
  
Trust dreams. Trust your heart, and trust your story.  
  
When you come back, return the way you came.  
  
Favors will be returned, debts be repaid.  
  
Do not forget your manners.  
  
Do not look back.  
  
Ride the wise eagle (you shall not fall)  
  
Ride the silver fish (you will not drown)  
  
Ride the gray wolf (hold tightly to his fur)  
  
There is a worm at the heart of the tower; that is why it will not stand.  
  
When you reach the little house, the place your journey started,  
  
You will recognize it, even though it will seem much smaller than you remember.  
  
Walk up the path, and through the garden gate you never saw before but once.  
  
And then go home. Or make a home. Or rest.   
  
I have no idea why I still remember that ridiculous poem that my mistress taught me, even after all of these years. I must've had that drilled into my skull by that witch of a mistress. Oh well.   
  
~   
  
Koneko- Tell me what you think, chapter 1 coming soon! 


	2. Chapter 1

Cygnet- Chapter 1 Special Thanks to Athena for being such a great beta-reader!  
  
Lady Of Genesis- Thanks. ^_^; Wow. You are Watari, right?  
  
D'Artagnan- Socks are the shiz!  
  
The Proud Canadian- Hmmm. That name. You must be. Canadian! Thanks, I worked really hard on the grammar so Athena would have a heavy workload. j/k. But I did work hard. ^_^  
  
Suzume The Wanderer- Yes there is.  
  
Nanami- Thankies. *prods you with a SxD sign and winks*  
  
Apple-chan- Because he's got hemorrhoids. I'm only kidding, I guess he hates life. Oh and thanks for reviewing! ^_^  
  
NB Kitsune- You love me on my birthday. *cha-chas* Okay, hmmm. Did you read his book? Coraline?  
  
Dark Flower- Thank you, dear! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer- CHK owns nothing.  
  
  
  
~Luc's POV~   
  
It was, like most times, a regular hassle to make a living. Getting up, getting ready, and then going to work. Well, if you can call what I do 'work'. You see, I work at a company that sells paper -- all night, all day, all 365 days of the year. Boring? Yes, most definitely, but... I do have to eat, so I work and slave over paperwork containing information about paper.   
  
Well, enough about my entirely pointless job; I have things to do. Those things to do are very odd indeed; I wish I knew why, but I guess I'm just afraid. Afraid that I've been found. By whom? Sasarai. Damn him. Damn him to hell.   
  
It was two weeks ago. I was going to the church on the other side of the city, because it's the most decent one the city has to offer. I was sitting in the back pews, and I saw a priest that looked exactly like him. I was about to start a fight with him -- for no reason, of course -- when my mind caught up with me. I told myself that fighting with a priest during the service was pointless and unkind to the spectators, so I decided to leave. I mean, it probably wasn't even him, but if it was . I was going to get revenge. Revenge? Oh yes, sweet revenge. For what? Nothing, nothing, nothing.   
  
  
  
~Normal POV~   
  
Luc got up from his cubical and walked towards the elevator. Hesitantly, he pushed the down button. When he reached the lobby, he swiftly ran through the sliding glass doors, and ran out to the sidewalk. He walked aimlessly through the city streets, nearly getting pushed into a hotdog cart. For the next few minutes of walking, he seethed at life and at others. He was six blocks away from the church before he wondered, 'How did I get here? I was walking home, wasn't I?'   
  
He shook his head nonchalantly and proceeded towards the church. What he saw on the steps of the cathedral was surprising, even to him. Sasarai was sweeping the steps with care, compassion, and a lack of idleness. Luc came closer to the young-looking priest and put a hand on his shoulder. Sasarai gasped, jumped up in fright, and turned to face Luc.   
  
"....Hello," said Luc, with a smirk on his face.   
  
"H.have I met you before?" asked Sasarai uneasily. Luc stared at the young priest with a scowl and then turned to face the street, then went back to facing Sasarai.   
  
'I wonder..,' thought Luc, seeming to comprehend something in his mind.   
  
"Is your name Sasarai, sir?" he gently asked the priest.   
  
"Y...yes, it is." stuttered Sasarai, a look of unease on his face.   
  
"Well, then," replied Luc, "my name is Luc."   
  
Sasarai's eyes looked like they had just bulged out of his head when he heard that name. Luc's eyes twinkled with anticipation, and he took one slow step towards Sasarai. The priest jumped backwards with fright.   
  
"Don't be afraid...brother.. I don't bite.....hard," stated Luc, slyly.   
  
Sasarai began to look worried, quietly saying, "Would you...like to come and talk.. Inside?" Luc replied by grunting and giving a slight shrug.   
  
~   
  
As soon as they got inside, Luc lit up a cigarette and took a puff of nicotine. Sasarai opened his mouth to say something, but he decided not to argue with someone who was, well, more stubborn than a donkey.   
  
The priest started to talk, but Luc ignored him.   
  
"Luc, how indecent of you to not pay any attention whatsoever. I'm surprised you have a job," stated Sasarai, bluntly.   
  
Luc turned his gaze up at the cathedral ceiling before going back to looking at Sasarai. He took a particularly long drag of his cigarette and exhaled it in Sasarai's face. He flicked the butt of his cigarette into the holy water, just in case one of those doddering old priests would start gibbering about 'defiling the holy place.' Luc sneered as Sasarai started coughing because of the rancid smoke and patted the choking priest on the back very roughly.   
  
"Seems like you almost choked, dear brother."   
  
"Well... I wouldn't have choked if you hadn't lit up that vile thing inside the church."   
  
Luc smirked. He thought to himself, 'This is going to be great.'  
  
Koneko- Uhh, Cygnet, chapter 3 will be in shortly. ^_^ 


End file.
